Medtronic, a Minneaplis, Minn.-based medical technology provider, has opened a new Customer Innovation Center (CIC) in Galway, Ireland, providing state-of-the-art facilities for physicians and Medtronic engineers to develop new therapies that will improve clinical outcomes, provide economic value and increase access to quality healthcare for patients around the world.

The CIC includes hybrid, demonstration and collaboration labs that will provide a positive environment for visitors to get hands-on experience with the company's latest technologies, and where physicians and Medtronic engineers will be able to work together on future technology developments.

The facility also includes digital communication technology for global networking, 3D printing facilities to prototype new ideas and training and education facilities.  As many as 500 physicians and customers are expected to visit the center every year.

The new CIC cost an estimated $10 million to build and has received a grant from the Industrial Development Agency (IDA) in Ireland.

Barry O'Leary, chief executive officer, IDA Ireland, said, "The new CIC is hugely important in terms of positioning Ireland internationally as a center of excellence for innovation and R&D in the Medical Technology space.”

Gerard Kilcommins, vice president, global vascular operations and general manager of Medtronic's Galway Site, said that this investment is based on the success of the current customer program that has been running at the Galway facility for a number of years.  He said, "Each year millions of patients benefit from therapies that are the result of collaboration with physicians, scientists and engineers who are passionate about advancing medical technology. This new center will create greater opportunities for collaboration with customers from across the globe in order to better understand their needs and the needs of their patients and together develop therapies that meet today's healthcare challenges."